With a personal computer and an appropriate software package, a user can produce virtually any type of document that may be desired. For example, word processing software is used to produce text documents. Graphic design or computer-aided design software can be used to produce diagrams, charts, graphs, designs, etc. Frequently, it is desirable to generate a hardcopy of a document or data set that has been produced or stored on a personal computer. Consequently, a wide variety of printers and printing devices have been developed that can receive a print job from a host computer and produce a hardcopy of the document or data represented by that print job.
As used herein and in the appended claims, the terms “printer” and “printing device” are defined to mean any device that produces a hardcopy from electronic data, including, but not limited to, laser printers, inkjet printers, dot matrix printers, plotters, facsimile machines, digital copiers, photocopiers, multifunction peripherals, and the like. A printer or printing device may produce images on a variety of print media and may produce images that are in color or are monochromatic.
The term “print job” is defined as data that has been specifically formatted for submission to a particular printer from which the printer can generate a hardcopy representing the underlying document or data set from which the print job was created. Typically, the print job is transmitted from a host or “client” computer to the printer.
Most personal computers include programming that will be referred to generally as a “printer driver.” A printer driver is a piece of software or firmware that receives data or a document that is to be printed from an application running on the computer. The printer driver formats the data for use by a corresponding printer, i.e., creates a print job, and then transmits the print job to the printer. Using the print job, the printer can produce a hardcopy of the underlying data or document.
Most printing devices employ some type of user interface to allow for human interaction with the device. A user interface enables a user to view and/or modify settings or other information related to the printing device. The settings available on a printing device can allow the user to control certain aspects of the printing process to produce a more desirable hardcopy product. For example, the settings on a printing device may allow the user to select among different available print media. For example, the size, color or type of print medium may be selected for a particular job. Printing device settings may also determine the resolution or quality of the image being printed and, consequently, the amount of ink or toner consumed. The printing device may also be configured to add letterhead, a logo, a signature or other features into a print job being executed. A user interface for controlling these and other printing settings may include a touchpad, keypad, mouse, keyboard, viewable screen, touch screen panel, menus, tabs or other means of navigating through available options, etc.
If a printer is connected to the Internet or World Wide Web (the “web”), the printer may also allow a user or operator to view and/or modify settings and information related to the printing device using a web browser. The web browser displays a web page provided by a web server built into the printing device. The web page or pages containing information about the device and controls for adjusting printer settings are stored in printing device memory.
Configuration settings, such as these, may be specified by the user using the user interface at the printing device. Such settings may also be controlled through the printer driver software. Often, a printing device will have multiple users. As a result, some configuration settings made by one user may be overwritten by a subsequent user, thus requiring each user to check and/or change the settings each time a print job is printed.